DILG probes viral 911 delay, 'ill-equipped' ambulance

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Saturday that authorities are investigating an alleged delay in responding to a 911 call during a medical emergency, following a viral social media post.

According to an update by GMA News reporter Jonathan Andal, Remulla confirmed the probe, saying, “We are investigating the matter.”

In the viral Facebook post, netizen Basti Askri recounted dialing 911 for nearly 10 minutes without receiving an answer while seeking urgent medical assistance for his father, who was suffering a heart attack.

“At nung may sumagot na… puro ‘wait.’ Rinig na rinig ko pa ’yung tawanan at chikahan habang may taong nangangailangan ng emergency assistance. Tapos inatake na ang tatay ko,” the post read.

(And when someone finally answered… all I heard was “wait.” I could clearly hear laughter and chit-chat in the background while someone desperately needed emergency assistance. Then my father suffered a heart attack.)

The netizen also said that when the ambulance arrived, it lacked an automated external defibrillator (AED) and other vital equipment.

As a result, the family had to perform CPR on the father without medical personnel taking over, the post said. The man eventually died.

The allegations have prompted the DILG to investigate the circumstances surrounding the 911 response and the ambulance’s equipment. — MCG, GMA News